10 Strange Rules That a Pregnant British Princess Should Follow

Being pregnant implies sticking to certain rules like not consuming alcohol, coffee, and even not sleeping on your back. But if you are married to a British monarch, you’ll have to say “no” to many more, even simple at first glance, things.

Bright Side found out what, unlike normal girls, pregnant princesses expecting an heir to the throne are forbidden to do.

1. It’s forbidden to disclose the baby’s gender.

While modern moms post on social media whether they are expecting a baby boy or a baby girl, it was prohibited for Kate Middleton to speak about it. According to the rules of the royal castle, parents don’t have the right to disclose the baby’s gender until the child is born. It’s the royal press office who is officially authorized to announce the news about the birth of the heir or heiress of the throne.

2. It’s forbidden to accept gifts.

Today, wedding and birthday wish lists are quite popular in Great Britain. The star of the occasion writes a list of the things they need and sends it to her guests who choose one thing out of the list and present it later. Future parents, for example, can wish for diapers, a stroller, or baby clothes — things that will help them to reduce their expenses. However, it was strictly prohibited for Kate Middleton to make this type of list or to accept any presents for the future newborn. All of this kept those surrounding her unaware of the baby’s gender.

3. It’s forbidden to drive.

According to statistics, the risk of getting into a car accident increases by 42% during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. It’s connected with the increased tiredness of the body, sudden headaches, and loss of consciousness. That’s why in order to protect the future mom and baby from an accident, Kate Middleton was prohibited from driving a car. Instead, she could always use the services of a personal driver.

4. It’s forbidden to be in a bad mood.

A representative of the royal family should always be in a good mood. She needs to be polite and smile to other people. It’s considered bad manners to complain about feeling bad, to cry in public, or to discuss the pregnancy with others.

5. Eating in public is forbidden.

There is a theory saying that it’s possible to know the gender of the future baby by the taste preferences of the mother: if she craves sweets, she will have a baby girl, if she eats a lot of salty food, she will have a baby boy. So the Duchess of Cambridge wasn’t supposed to eat in public in order to deter starting rumors about the gender of the future baby. The exception to this rule is at a reception where all guests are served similar dishes.

6. Maternity leave can be up to 5 months.

Pregnant Kate Middleton was supposed to attend all official events right up to the birth of the child. But after the birth, Kate has the right not to show up at official events in order to devote the necessary attention and care to her newborn baby. But the duration of her maternity leave shouldn’t exceed 5 months.

7. It’s forbidden to buy baby clothes in retail stores.

And again it’s all because of the possibility of spreading information about the future gender of the baby. Paparazzi could take a photo of the baby clothes, their color, and type. That’s why there are special people who are in charge of buying clothes both for the mother and the baby and they keep the information top secret.

8. It’s forbidden for them to wear clothes showing their belly.

A princess should wear clothes that hide her rounded tummy. First of all, in order to prevent the appearance of early rumors and shouting headlines in the media. Second, according to the royal fashion rules, it’s considered inappropriate to wear swimsuits and tight clothes for pregnant princesses. They should wear loose things that don’t hinder their movements.

9. It’s forbidden to announce the date of childbirth.

The Royal Palace announces only the prospective month in which the heir will be born, but the date itself is kept in strict confidence. Most often, this news is published by the royal press office when the mother is in the 10th to 12th week of her pregnancy.

10. It’s forbidden to take baby selfies.

Unlike most moms, who start to spam their newsfeed with baby photos after childbirth, Kate can’t publish photos because she is forbidden to have accounts on social media. It’s permitted to post a photo of the baby on the official Twitter account of the royal family.

Which of these rules do you agree with and which of them would you never agree to follow? Please tell us about it in the comments!